The History of Chat from Stone Scribbles

Do you remember MS-DOS? Was your first chat experience on AOL or IRC? Do you remember the click of the rotary telephone – probably the only phone in your home? Back in the day, we had to pull up a chair and sit at our computers to communicate online. If you used the old chat platforms as much as most people did, you probably remember what words like “chatroom trolls” and “chat avatars” meant.

From chat monikers to hashtags, modern man has surely come up with some interesting ways to interact. Walk down memory lane as we talk about human communication, from the cave paintings of ancient man, all the way to the Pinterest pins of today’s internet mavens. Although we still use our telephones, you must admit, we use them differently. Instead of just calling each other, we text, we tag and we send images to each other, too.

How many times have you taken a photo of this week’s shopping list on your smartphone, and then sent it in a text message your spouse? What about that particular blend of coffee or dog food you need them to pick up – with the snap of a button, you can send the label to them, so there’s no confusion.

We even use our cameras differently. Back in the day, we took photos, removed the film canister, and brought it to the film developing kiosk. A few weeks later, we turned in our receipt for the photographs and accompanying negatives. With today’s digital, internet-ready models, you can take a snapshot, and send it off to Snapchat, Tumblr, Facebook and more in an instant. Photography has become up-to-the-minute ready and moments are shareable in less than a minute.

Let’s take a look at how keeping in touch has become faster, easier and continues to help us stay close to our friends and family. It’s time to appreciate where we have been – and where we are going in terms of staying connected with loved ones, with life. Technology is evolving at a dizzying pace – will you be able to keep up with the exciting innovations?